Chippewa County: 7 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Chippewa County is in West Central Wisconsin and is known for several things including its natural beauty, parks, and Leinenkugel’s beer. Because of its proximity to other cities such as Eau Claire (neighboring) and the Twin Cities (90 miles), it has access to important amenities that improve quality of life while maintaining a small town feel with a strong community.

New to Chippewa County? Here are 7 Things You Need To Know

1. Chippewa County Has a State Park: Lake Wissota State Park

Lake Wissota State Park was established in 1961 and is located in Chippewa County on Lake Wissota. It is open year-round and is just over 1,000 acres in size. Locals and visitors love Lake Wissota State Park for its natural beauty. There is a campground in the park that includes 116 wooded sites with about half having electricity as well as 2 large group sites. The most popular activities in Lake Wissota State Park are boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and camping. Visitors can also use Lake Wissota State Park for horseback riding as well as cross country skiing in the winter.

2. Chippewa County is Home to Leinenkugel’s Beer

The Pride of Chippewa Falls, otherwise known as Leinenkugel’s Beer is headquartered in Chippewa Falls, WI. The brewery was founded in 1867 by Jacob Leinenkugel and has since been operated by 5 generations of Leinenkugel family members.

Leinenkugel’s was sold to Miller Brewing Company in 1988 but allowed the Leinenkugel family to continue operating it to this day. The first Leinenkugel’s beer that was brought to the national market was Summer Shandy in 2007.

Locals and visitors can tour this Eau Claire area brewery and visit the Leinie Lodge throughout the year to see how the beer is made, sample different varieties by the fireplace in the northwoods-esque lodge, and pick up branded products.

3. The “Father” of Chippewa County is Jean Brunet Who Settled It In 1836

Jean Brunet was the pioneer who has become known as the father of Chippewa County. He came to the area in 1928 and helped Chippewa County become founded in 1945 and organized in 1953. He built the first dams on the Chippewa River and was also the first Judge in Chippewa County.

4. Irvine Park & Zoo

Irvine Park is a significant asset to the Chippewa County community and visitors alike. Irvine Park contains a zoo, several pavilions, playgrounds, a splash pad, historic schoolhouse, and meandering creek.

During the holiday season, Irvine Park is turned into a Christmas village and is decorated with over 75,000 lights and 100+ displays

Irvine Park is a 318-acre park that was established in 1906. The first exhibit built was the bear exhibit in 1909 and now the park includes cougars, bobcats, bison, and many more animals.

5. Chippewa County Population, Income, & Housing

The population of Chippewa County is 64,551 while the collective Chippewa Valley population is 200,000+. Chippewa County has 28,003 housing units with a median value of $154,900. Per capita income is $48,491. (WCWRPC)

6. Top Chippewa County Employers

Chippewa County is a quickly growing region and has many large and growing businesses. Some of the top employers in Chippewa County include TTM Technologies, Great Northern Corporation, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital, ITW Deltar Fasteners, Mason Companies, Nordson EDI, W. S. Darley, Cray Inc., Wal-Mart Supercenter, and Marshfield Clinic

7. Chippewa County Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the 2nd largest employment sector in Chippewa County after the service sector. Chippewa County manufacturing employs 6,738 individuals and contributes to the strength of the Chippewa County workforce and economy as a whole. (WCWRPC)